The increase in sexual assault cases this year-- from 13 to 19 according to the College's 2008 Annual Security Report -- is favorable, according to de Sousa. De Sousa attributes the climb to students' increased willingness to report the assaults.
"The SAAP actually receives around 60 reports a year, 19 of which met Clery standards this past year," de Sousa said. "When numbers of reports increase, we actually take that as an encouraging sign because we know it reflects increased reporting. "
De Sousa said she has noticed a link between sexual assault and the College's Greek system since she began the SAAP coordinator job in July, adding that this is due in large part to the Greek system's large role in Dartmouth's social scene. She hopes to increase programming with Greek organizations and plans to personally address members of sororities and fraternities this year.
"We need to have men become involved in the issue because to stop the violence, we can't just have those reacting to abuse doing something about it," de Sousa said. "The issue is not limited to men assaulting women but extends to the GLBT community and other minority groups. At Dartmouth there have been instances of women assaulting men as well."
De Sousa also intends to begin a "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" march, in which participants will wear high heels to empathize with women, she said. The program will be an addition to the existing Take Back the Night walk and rally, which protests rape and sexual abuse.
De Sousa does not foresee major changes to the peer advisor programs, which she describes as a resource for "voiceless victims."
Xenia Markowitt, director of the Center for Women and Gender, said she hired de Sousa because of her experience with sexual assault in a college undergraduate environment. Before working at the College de Sousa served as a residential director at the University of California, San Francisco and worked at a rape crisis center in San Francisco. De Sousa originally became concerned about sexual abuse while a student at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth.
"On this campus, students have consistently tried to raise awareness about sexual assault," Markowitt said. "We're ready to take a major step to educate and address the issue. It's really a great moment."
Safety and Security officer Rebel Roberts, who served as the interim SAAP coordinator before de Sousa was hired, did not apply for the position, Markowitt said.
